


Secrets and Trust

by MonPetitTresor



Series: Immortal Tony [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Chitauri - Freeform, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki Wasn't The Bad Guy, M/M, Sassy Tony, Secrets, The Invasion, Time Travel, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony-centric, and Tony likes it, doesn't take any shit, not truly, though he's a little bit bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-21 01:56:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15547059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonPetitTresor/pseuds/MonPetitTresor
Summary: During the Invasion, Tony takes a nuke into space, the portal closes - only this time he doesn't come crashing back to earth. The Avengers are left to mourn, and to try and continue on without him. Try to finish the job that Tony's sacrifice had allowed them to do. And so, together, they head to the tower to finally finish this.They never expected to find Tony, alive and healthy, sitting at the bar. Or to see Loki sitting at his side.What's going on here? How did Tony survive? And what secrets is he keeping from them?





	1. Chapter 1

This was not how he’d expected his life to end.

That was one of the main thoughts Tony Stark had as he flew through the air, a giant nuke pressed against his back and only one place for him to put it.

All the ways he’d pictured his life ending over the years, all the shit he’d been through and the hell he’d put his body through, he could honestly say that this idea hadn’t ever even occurred to him. He’d never imagined he’d be sending himself on a one-way trip through a wormhole, ready to blow the hell out of some alien bad guys who’d just tried to take over the planet. Then again, he never would’ve imagined that he himself would be a part of the team of actual freaking _superheroes_ who’d assembled to try and stop them.

Most of the past few days seemed like some weird sort of dream. Getting the reports from Agent, seeing the truth of an actual alien on earth – even if the alien believed he was a Norse god – seeing _Captain-freaking-America_ , and then the invasion. Aliens, pouring from the sky, people racing through the streets screaming, and somehow this small group of people had come together to fight against this. _The Avengers_.  A group of idiots made up of a man out of his time, two spies, the Norse god of thunder, and an awesome scientist who just happened to turn into a giant green rage monster.

And then there was Tony. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, ex-Merchant of Death, and Iron Man.

The last title didn’t exactly make up for any of those others. Or any of the ones Tony hadn’t bothered listing. But…it was his attempt at it. His chance to _try_.

Try and be good. Try and be normal. Try and pretend like there wasn’t a monster that lived inside of him, one that set him apart from the others.

_“Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away, what are you?”_

The answer he’d given was glib, rolling off his tongue with ease. But inside? Inside, Tony knew better. Inside, he was laughing, because even the famous Captain America had seen it. He knew that Tony didn’t belong with them.

_“I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I’ve seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You’re not the guy to make the sacrifice play. To lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you.”_

A low, aching laugh bubbled up Tony’s throat. He adjusted his thrusters, angling himself just right to push the nuke up, up, right where he needed it to go. There was no _cutting the wire_ in this scenario. No getting out of this. _Aren’t you proud_? he wanted to ask Steve. The man that Tony grew up hearing about, the one he’d looked up to for such a long time – the one he’d disappointed within moments of actually meeting him. _I’m making the damn sacrifice play, just like you talked about. Aren’t you proud, Steve? Are you proud, Howard?_

_“You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero.”_

Those words echoed with Tony as he reached the portal. They stayed with him, playing over and over in his mind as he watched the infinite reaches of space. There were ships there, so many ships – a whole army, waiting to come.

And as Tony fell, he watched as the nuke hit and sent them all blasting to hell.

He fell back and let go, a faint smile ghosting over his lips. That smile was still there as he slipped into unconsciousness, and as the portal slowly began to close.

As it closed around him, the world shifted and changed, and Tony Stark knew no more.

* * *

It was a quiet group that gathered together at the base of Stark Tower. They met with quiet moves and somber faces. None of them seemed to want to speak. Yet, the silence was so loud, lacking the distinct banter that had been present through most of the battle. Rambling speeches and amusing quips that came off as annoying yet seemed to somehow have made things _easier_. The voice of Tony Stark in all their ears had been a toehold on reality for all of them. A reminder that they were real, and human, and that no matter how insane their world was right now, they were still here.

Steve Rogers stared up at the tall tower in front of him and found himself thinking of his words earlier on the Helicarrier. _“I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I’ve seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You’re not the guy to make the sacrifice play. To lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you.”_ That had been what he’d said to Tony, and now… now, Tony had laid down on the wire and let the entire world crawl across him. _I’m sorry,_ he thought to himself, looking up at the broken yet still standing tower. _I was wrong – I’m sorry._

The others weren’t doing much better. Natasha and Clint stood side by side, silent. Thor had Mjolnir in his hand still, yet he hadn’t raised her, simply held her and thought of others who had fallen, and who he also hadn’t been able to save.

Even Hulk was quiet, the look on his face making it clear that he understood more than people had expected him to. He understood the loss of one of their own. Someone who had cared for him far more than any others. Who’d had faith in him and had trusted him to be there. Man and beast both mourned quietly.

It was Thor who broke the silence that had fallen over them. “We’re not done yet.”

That reminder was enough to stir the remaining Avengers. No, they weren’t done yet. Loki still had to be dealt with.

A sudden voice in their earpieces startled all of them. “ _Lady and Gentlemen, if you’ll proceed inside the building, I can escort you to the Penthouse suite where you will find Prince Loki_ ,” JARVIS told them.

“Is he contained, JARVIS?” Natasha asked. She was the one most comfortable with the AI and had less issue speaking to him than the others.

 _“He poses no current threat to you, Ms. Rushman._ ” There was a brief pause, and then there was a bit of surprise when the AI sassily added on “ _Or would you prefer Agent Romanoff? I’m unsure of the proper protocols as to how to address one such as yourself_.” Underneath that was a clear hint of censure.

Steve shivered a little, still not used to the idea of an actual AI. He’d heard all about it when he’d read Stark’s file, but so far he hadn’t had any real interaction with him. The voice seemed far too human.

Together, the Avengers made their way into the tower and towards the far elevator doors that opened for them. Once they were inside, they gathered themselves, clearly pushing aside their own grief to prepare for what lay ahead. They weren’t going to let Tony’s sacrifice be in vain. The Chitauri had been stopped yet Loki remained. He’d been the mastermind behind this entire Invasion. So long as he was loose, they ran the risk of this starting all over again, and none of them were willing to let that happen. For the world, and for Tony Stark, they’d subdue Loki and bring him in so that SHIELD could deal with him.

By the time they reached the penthouse floor, they’d all composed themselves and drawn their weapons. Clint’s bow was in hand, an arrow already at the ready. Natasha had the loose-limbed, ready-to-fight posture, and her Widow Bites were charged and ready to go. Steve was holding his shield, ready to throw it in an instant if needed, as was Thor with Mjolnir. Only Hulk seemed to be different. Instead of looking ready to smash, he looked…curious.

No one had time to wonder about it. The elevator doors opened, the Avengers came pouring out, and then almost instantly froze.

There, sitting at the bar, was Loki – a drink in one hand and a smile on his lips.

Right next to him sat Tony Stark.

A broad grin lit up Tony’s face. “Oh hey, guys. About time you got here.”

* * *

Seeing the stunned surprise on the faces of the Avengers was something Tony probably shouldn’t have enjoyed quite as much as he did. He had to admit, though – a twisted part of him took pleasure out of seeing just how much he’d surprised them. Clint was openly horrified, not by Tony’s ‘resurrection’ but undoubtedly by his close proximity to the guy who’d been recently mind-controlling him. At his side, Natasha had gone blank, a clear expression of shock if Tony had ever seen one. Steve looked kind of like he’d seen a ghost. Considering what Tony remembered about Steve’s opinion of him, Tony was amused by that reaction. _I made the sacrifice play. Of course I’m suddenly in his good books._

Thor took a step forward, eyes bright on Loki. “Brother…” The word was almost torn from him and layered with pain and anger and the kind of love that could withstand eons. “Did you do this?”

“Be more specific, Thor,” Loki said dryly. He turned towards them, casually crossing one leg over the other, looking for all the world like a king addressing his subjects. Not just subjects – _peasants_. “I’ve done quite a bit this day.”

Thor’s hand tightened on Mjolnir. “Do not jest. Did you return the Man of Iron to us?” And then, as if it’d just occurred to him, his grip went so tight his knuckles went white. “ _What have you done to him_?”

“I?” Loki, the dramatic little shit, brought a hand up to his chest and laid it over his heart, affecting a look of such hurt innocence it almost made Tony snort into his drink. “You think I would cause harm to the only being on this realm and many others who has managed the one thing the rest of you have not? I am not so casual with my toys as you are, I assure you.”

This time, Tony _did_ snort. He also kicked a foot out against Loki’s leg. It didn’t do a damn thing, not against godly strength, but it brought Loki’s eyes to him, and Tony pointed a finger at him. “Call me a toy again and see what happens, Princess.”

The only answer he got was a hint of a smile and a fluttering of Loki’s lashes. Even as Tony rolled his eyes, he was smiling. _Damned insolent brat_. Tony chose to ignore that for the moment and turn himself to look back at the group still waiting nearby. “Loki didn’t do anything to me except save my ass. Whatever happened when the wormhole wrapped me up, I was pretty well mostly dead when I guess I landed back here. He woke me up, saved my ass, and we talked a bit while we waited for you guys to get here.”

It wasn’t hard to see that his words had brought up so many more questions. Tony hurried on before any of them could begin asking them. “Why don’t we all calm down and have a seat? We’ve got a lot to discuss, and I’ve just come back from the dead – I’m too tired to stand p, and you all look stupid standing over me.”

“Still in need of a keeper, I see,” Loki said. He was watching Tony with a new edge, though, and running his eyes over him as if trying to seek out whatever might be wrong with Tony.

The concern softened Tony’s smile and took years off his face. It even gentled his eyes, something that the others hadn’t realized until just that moment had been colder and harder than they’d ever seen before. “I’ve got one,” Tony told him. “Two, actually. They’re just in Paris right now. Or, well, I hope they are. If they’re smart, they are.”

“Considering they are with you…” Loki left the end of that hanging.

That seemed to be what finally pushed the others to move. Natasha straightened herself up into what Tony thought of as her agent-mode, the one that said she was ready to kick ass and take names from the corpse if necessary, only she was beaten to the punch by the one that none of them had expected.

Hulk stepped through the group, easily nudging them to the side, and close the distance between him and them. Tony and Loki both went still; they weren’t dumb enough to not recognize the threat that was making its way towards them. But when Loki looked like he was going to bolt, Tony reached out and laid a hand on his arm to keep him in place.

“ _Anthony!_ ” Loki hissed.

Tony gave Loki’s arm a careful squeeze. “Wait a sec. I don’t think he’s going to cause trouble. Are you, Big Guy?” The last part was directed at Hulk as the great green beast came to a stop right in front of them. Hulk was looking at Loki strangely, and Loki clearly wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed by it or run. After all, not that long ago Hulk had been smashing him into the floor of the penthouse. But then Hulk threw them for yet another loop by leaning in and _sniffing_ Loki before openly relaxing. “Bad gone,” he announced.

That was exactly the opening that Tony needed. Despite all this planning, he’d never quite figured out how to start this conversation, the one conversation he knew needed to happen. He’d tried to prepare for every eventuality, build contingency plans for everything he could think of, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to plan for it all. This situation was proof of that. Yet, this was also more than perfect for what he needed.

“Hulk’s right,” Tony said, offering the Hulk a beaming smile that had Hulk grinning at him in return. Bringing his eyes back to the others, Tony hurried to speak before any of them could get going. It was a strategy he’d learned a long time ago and one he knew how to employ perfectly. Keep talking fast enough and long enough, and you’ll keep anyone from being able to interject and derail you. If you laid out facts, then when they finally argued, they were the ones that looked like idiots. “The Bad is gone. Well, mostly. No one’s going to try and say this guy here is perfect. Trust me, even I’m not that stupid. But in this instance, we could probably go ahead and say he was more _misguided_ than _homicidal._ ”

“Are you quite sure about that?” Loki murmured. Low enough that the others hopefully didn’t hear.

Tony ignored it and kept going, gesturing with hands and his glass as he did. “See, I’ve had a lot of time to think about this, and a little bit of help, but in the end, it was pretty obvious when you stopped and thought about it. There were too many things about the Invasion that didn’t make sense. Timing, placement, portal size. One thing after another that just didn’t make any sense from someone with a mind like Loki’s. He’s an asshole, but he’s smart, and he’s _sharp_. If he wanted to take over Earth, a blunt invasion like this wasn’t how he’d do it. He’s more subtle games and maneuvers from the shadows. A puppeteer, not a general.”

“You seem to know my brother well,” Thor said slowly. His grip on his hammer relaxed a little, which, hey, Tony was more than thrilled about that.

Slanting an amused look at Loki, who was smirking back at him, Tony shrugged one shoulder. “You could say that.”

“Stark,” Natasha cut in. Her voice was as sharp and cutting as he’d remembered, though it lacked the effect it’d once had. There was no way the anger in her voice could ever stand up to the truly threatening people he’d met. She didn’t hold a candle to his oldest lover. Just the idea of them in the same room was enough to have Tony snickering. That only seemed to irritate her more, and her expression hardened. “What is going on here? Because it’s beginning to look a lot like you’ve been compromised.”

He’d known they’d go there first. That was why Tony was sitting here without sunglasses, letting them all clearly see his eyes. For added effect, he brought a hand up and waved it in front of his face. “Nope! See – no blue in sight. This gorgeousness is all me, Itsy Bitsy.” Smirking, he winked at her. Then he nudged his chin towards her. Or, more accurately, what she had strapped against her back. “Plus, you’ve got his pretty little glowstick of Destiny over there, so how exactly do you expect him to have enchanted me? Not to mention, it didn’t exactly work on me when he _did_ try it.”

“Stark,” Steve said, breaking in between the two of them. He took a step forward, lowering his shield slightly yet still standing tense and ready. His eyes were on Tony, and it was clear he was trying to step up into the role of leader. Too bad he had no real practice at it. “Tony. We need to take Loki into custody. If what you say is true, I’m sure Asgard will be able to figure it out. Until then, he’s caused a lot of damage, and that’s not something you get to just walk away from. Let us take him in, and then you can tell us whatever it is you want to say. And how you found out.”

“Yeah, cause let me tell you, I’m finding this whole ‘Loki’s innocent’ thing a bit fucking hard to swallow, considering the guy was mind controlling me just a few hours ago,” Clint threw out, finally finding his voice. He had his bow and arrow ready, hands shaking ever-so-slightly, and Tony almost felt a little sorry for him. It wasn’t easy to serve someone else the way he had. Especially if the choice had been taken away from you. But, he also knew it was something that could be worked past. Something that would have to be worked past, if they wanted to survive what was coming their way.

This was it. The moment that Tony had been waiting for, planning for, preparing himself in every way he could. What happened next was going to set the tone for their future, and the future of the world.

“Well,” Tony said slowly, reaching out to set his glass down on the counter. “I’m not in the mood to explain this more than once. J, ring up Fury for me, would you? I get the feeling he’ll want to hear this.”

It only took a moment before a hologram video popped up near them. It was projected just a few feet away from sensors the others couldn’t see. Nick Fury’s face filled the screen, and he clearly wasn’t happy. Then again, if Tony remembered right, the man was almost _never_ happy. “Avengers – what the hell is going on?” His eyes found Tony, showing only a small flash of surprise, and then narrowed down on Loki. “And why isn’t he in chains?”

Tony smirked at the man and raised a hand. “That’d be my fault.” Lowering his hand, he folded them together in his lap. “See, I’m not all that fond of chaining up my guests. Not unless they ask for it really, really nicely. Since Loki hasn’t yet, I’ve got them put away in the dungeon. But I suppose I could bring them out later if he really wanted.” He slanted a look sideways, and the others were all shocked to see the contemplative look on Loki’s face.

Nick’s loud “Stark!” broke the moment between them.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Tony turned back to face Nick while also keeping angled to keep an eye on the team. _All right. Let’s do this._ “Okay, boys and girls, get comfortable and strap in. It’s time for Uncle Tony to tell you all a bedtime story. It’s about a wormhole, a big army in space, and the _real_ guy behind it all.”


	2. Chapter 2

These guys were really going to make telling his story worthwhile. Tony had barely even given them more than tantalizing tidbits, and they were all staring at him with big eyes and even a few open mouths. Hell, Hulk had even let Bruce came back out to play, and Tony was more than thrilled with that. His smile was wide and _real_. “Brucie bear! Good to see you looking as handsome as ever!”

Bruce was a little dazed, and clearly exhausted, yet there was amusement in his eyes when he looked up from where he’d sunk down to the floor. “Good to see you too, Tony.”

The smile on Tony’s face grew, only to get cut off by a careful _thwap_ against the back of his skull. When he turned, he found Loki still sipping from his drink like he hadn’t a care in the world, yet his eyes were both amused and sharp over the top of his glass. He arched one eyebrow but said nothing.

Tony snorted and shook his head. What the hell was it with him and crazy, powerful assholes in his life?

“Right,” Tony said, giving one last shake of his head. As tempting as it was to smack back at Loki, or to play with him, that was only going to delay the inevitable. Long-time practice helped Tony gather his composure around himself. “So, first things first, I should probably get something out of the way. Namely the fact that this isn’t the first time Loki and I have met.”

As Tony had expected, that almost instantly brought out an uproar. Everyone was trying to talk at the same time, including Nick, and Tony sat back to wait them out. This part of the conversation had been very carefully planned. He’d explained some of it to Loki, just briefly, and he hoped the god was up to a little on-the-fly-lying. Then again, when wasn’t he? Tony had called in one of a few favors owed between them just to get Loki to agree to stay, and to help, and that was enough for Tony to know that Loki would put in his best effort to help with the lies and back up Tony’s story wherever he could. However, that didn’t mean he’d be pleased about having to do it all without any information to help, and Tony knew he’d have to pay for it later in their favorite currency – truths.

Steve was the one to break through the chaos with a loud “All right!” that snapped most people to attention. It would’ve been impressive once upon a time to Tony. Now? Now, he had to fight not to laugh. Somehow he kept it under control as Steve leveled the room with a glare he probably thought was intimidating. “Arguing like this is getting us nowhere. We need answers.” That sharp gaze went to Tony, and the urge to laugh grew stronger. “Stark, why don’t you explain to us why you never told us you knew who Loki was?”

“Why would he?” Loki asked, giving Steve the _I pity you, stupid mortal_ look.

A wave of Tony’s hand cut off whatever else Loki might’ve said, or the angry responses the others undoubtedly would’ve given. He pulled the persona of _Tony Stark, billionaire playboy_ a little tighter around himself, and gave them all his best press smile. “I met him a long time ago, and the guy I knew back then wasn’t anything like the guy I saw in those files Agent gave me. I wanted to figure out what was wrong with the guy I knew, and why he was acting so strange. I knew you guys wouldn’t let me if you knew I knew him.” There was a whole lot of _knew_ in that sentence, and Tony again tried not to laugh.

“You’re damn right we wouldn’t!” Nick snapped.

Tony lifted a hand and tilted his head as if to say _See?_ Then he smirked and shrugged at the same time. “It’s a good thing I did, or you idiots would’ve come in here, arrested the wrong guy, and we all would’ve gotten our asses kicked. Tell me, geniuses, what do you know about a giant purple dick by the name of Thanos?”

The sharp breath that Thor sucked in said that he, at least, knew the name. Everyone else caught that sound, and they all turned to him. Thor, however, had his eyes on Loki. “Brother?”

This part of things was the part that Tony was the most nervous about. This part was up to Loki. Tony didn’t know the specificity of things here; just a general impression. Still, it was far more than he’d ever wanted to know. It was also enough to make Tony pretty sure that Loki wasn’t going to want to talk about it. Yet, they didn’t really stand a chance of convincing these guys of anything if Loki didn’t give them _something_.

The dark look that passed through Loki’s eyes said he’d come to the same conclusion. It also, when slanted Tony’s way, promised that the price Tony was going to pay was getting higher and higher. With a deep breath, Loki gathered the courage that so few seemed to see in him, and he lifted his chin in a gesture that Tony knew came from the need to let _no one_ see any true weakness. “When I fell from the Bifrost, I drifted in the spaces between time and worlds. I was lost in the void until I was rescued from there by a being who did not carry my best interests at heart. He… persuaded me to help him invade Earth to assist him in retrieving a certain artifact. In return, Earth would be mine to rule.”

“In other words, he tortured the fuck out of him until he didn’t really have any choice left,” Tony interjected. There was a flatness to his tone that had a few people looking at him funny. Hopefully, they’d chalk it up to his feelings about Afghanistan, and not look too deeply at it. “And considering he did everything in his power to help throw the Invasion, I’m thinking we can at least cut the guy a little slack.”

Of course, it wasn’t that simple, and though Thor seemed to suddenly be firmly on Loki’s side, the rest of the Avengers were clearly unhappy with things.

What came next was the kind of debate that Tony really hadn’t been looking forward to but had known was necessary. He quickly lost track of just how much time they all sat there arguing back and forth with one another. They threw up point after point to try and prove Loki’s evil side, and Tony met each one with calm, steady assurance, pointing out all the ways that Loki could’ve done better and hadn’t. All the little things he’d done to draw the Avengers together and help them to win.

“Even if we buy that he was under duress when he came here,” Nick finally said, glaring at them all. “You expect us to just forgive it? He brought this army to our planet, and he used us as the big bad guard dog to chase them away.”

Tony arched an eyebrow. “You saying you wouldn’t do the same? It might’ve been a shitty choice, but at the time it was the least shitty out of a whole group of shitty ones.”

“You know, instead of debating my guilt, perhaps we should speak of the Mad Titan,” Loki suggested. He was as calm as if he were discussing what they were going to have for lunch. Only Tony was able to see the tension that sat in the one hand that was hidden from view of the others in his lap. “Blowing up his armada will hold him back only so long. He is coming for your realm. He would have come even if I had not brought them here, and he will still come even now. He seeks his treasures in a bid for power, the kind of power that he believes will truly help him win the heart of his lady love, and will stop at nothing to obtain them.”

“Actually, how about this.” Standing up, Tony laid a hand on Loki’s shoulder, the protective gesture clear to everyone who could see them. Still, he smiled brightly at everyone. “Why don’t we all take some time, maybe get a bite to eat, sleep a little, and get together to discuss this tomorrow when everyone’s feeling a bit more human? I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m exhausted, and I’m famished. Dying kind of does that to a guy.” He didn’t give any of them a chance to even think about arguing with him. Tony clapped Loki’s shoulder and then moved forward, going to help Bruce up off the floor. “Most of the tower is undamaged, so go ahead and feel free to make yourselves at home. JARVIS can help you get just about anything you could want. Tomorrow, we’ll all meet up here for breakfast. Say, ten? You’re invited too, Nicky!”

No one looked like they wanted to move. Bruce let Tony help him up, and he had a slightly amused look on his face, but the others were all clearly planting their feet, more than ready to stand their ground and deal with this _now_. Nick had a mulish expression as well, and he was already opening his mouth as if he were going to start yelling.

Tony abruptly realized that he just… he didn’t have the patience for this. A wave of the hand and JARVIS ended the video call. That done, Tony gave the others a tired smile. “Don’t worry, guys,” he cut in. “We’ll see you in the morning. JARVIS, keep an eye on them for me, would you?” Then he turned his head to look back at Loki. “Lokes?”

The mage understood what Tony was asking. Without warning, he vanished from his stool, appearing in the middle of the Avengers. There was no time for anyone to react before Loki was grabbing Clint and Natasha and vanishing the three of them.

Steve let out a surprised cry, and Thor was gripping his hammer when Loki appeared again between them and then did the same thing with them that he’d done with the other two.

Bruce let out a little huff and leaned just a bit heavier against Tony. “Well, no one can say time spent with you is boring,” he murmured.

“Awww, you say the sweetest things!” Tony teased him.

Once more, Loki returned, and Bruce didn’t fight it. He leaned into Loki’s touch and closed his eyes, clearly too tired to try and fight it.

Just like that, everyone was gone, and Tony was briefly left standing alone. Just seconds in which to close his eyes and try and take a single breath that wasn’t being watched by _someone_. That was all he got, though. In the next instant, Loki was back with him, and the small reprieve was over. _One shitty conversation down, one more to go_.

The two beings faced off against one another in the middle of Tony’s broken penthouse. With the wreckage of the invasion still around them, and the faint sound of emergency crews down on the ground just barely coming in through the broken windows, the two stared at each other, each one sizing up the other and waiting for them to speak.

Considering what he’d just put Loki through, and what he knew the being had recently been through, Tony let out a soft sigh and allowed himself to be the one to break first. In a sign of trust, albeit just a small amount, he let go of the mask he’d put on in front of the others and let just a bit of his exhaustion seep through. A hint of his true self that showed in an aged look only earned by those who had seen far too much in their lives. “So, that fucking sucked.”

Loki actually snorted a little at him, something Tony considered a small win. “Eloquent as always, Evan.”

The use of that name had Tony giving a mock wince. He knew that had been the point; Loki had wanted that barb to hit home. “Yeah. What can I say – it’s a gift.”

The two once more fell into staring at one another, only this time, there was a contemplative look in Loki’s eyes that told Tony he was piecing together what he already knew with what he’d learned this day. With a mind as sharp as Loki’s, it wasn’t surprising. Tony had known it would happen. Just as he knew he was going to have to give something back. Especially to the only being here who had the ability to take Tony’s story and potentially blow it all out of the water.

“You lied to them,” Loki said eventually.

Tony huffed out a breath. “No shit, Sherlock.”

“The wormhole did not spit you back out into the tower. You walked in here to speak with me.” Loki’s eyes narrowed at him, and his eyebrows drew down. “But it did spit you out somewhere. Or, should I say, some _time_?” When Tony only smiled, Loki’s expression tightened even more, and that curious light in his eyes grew brighter. “It did more than that. You are no mere mortal anymore. How long ago was it that we met, Anthony?”

A slow, honest smile touched Tony’s lips. What felt like the first one since he’d walked back in here. “Shit. It was, what? 800? 804? That makes it something like 1200 years, give or take?”

“You do not wish your team to realize the extent of your changes.”

“I think they’d freak the fuck out if they knew just how far back that thing sent me, and it’d make my job a whole lot more difficult.” To say the least. The last thing Tony needed was anyone finding out just how far back that wormhole had sent him, or the types of things he’d lived through since then. Bad enough that there were certain things he wasn’t going to be able to hide.

Long practice allowed Tony to keep his hand from coming up to rub at where the arc reactor had once sat – an object that people were definitely going to notice was gone.

“I’m not about to become someone’s lab experiment,” Tony said softly. He kept his hands at his sides and his chin up. The eyes that met Loki’s were calm and confident; someone who had faced down death – horrors the likes of which so few ever knew – and had come out the other side burned and broken, yet stronger. “You know what I am. You recognized that about me the last time we met. And you know just how dangerous it was even back then for word to get out about what I am.”

“Your team will notice something eventually. When you heal – when you do not age.”

Tony shrugged one shoulder. That part, at least, was easy. “Considering who I’ve got on my team, and my history with messing around with shit I shouldn’t? Everyone’s going to think I made my own knockoff Super Soldier Serum. There’s no need for them to think any differently.”

Folding his hands behind his back, his pose every inch the prince he was, Loki watched Tony carefully. “Why come back at all?” he finally asked. It wasn’t what Tony had been expecting – he’d been so sure Loki was going to press him for more detail.

However, it was an easy answer. One that Tony didn’t mind giving. “I can’t walk away. Knowing what’s coming, knowing the threat that’s out there? I can’t just ignore it. This is my planet, and I’ll be damned if I let that bastard come and destroy it.”

The passion in Tony’s words was undeniable. There was truth in every word. Sometimes, in those early dark days, in the long years that had passed, Tony had held on to the knowledge of what waited for him. It’d helped keep him going, even when he’d also felt like it would break him. Stopping Thanos was the one thing that Tony had anchored himself on all these long, lonely years. Whatever else had happened to him, whatever he’d gone through, it had all led him here, to this very moment.

“I’m going to stop him,” Tony said, voice firm and steady. Not a question – a statement of fact.

For a second Loki just stared at him. Then a slow smile built on his lips. In his green eyes, Tony saw an echo of his own passion, his rage, and his resolve. “We will stop him,” Loki corrected, that smile never faltering.

At that moment, Tony felt the little spark of hope in his chest grow just a bit brighter. He’d always believed they would stop Thanos – he had to, or he would’ve gone insane. But standing in the penthouse of his tower with the streets outside littered in the corpses of the alien army, and Loki right there in front of him grinning with a mad light in his eyes that reflected the one Tony felt in his soul, suddenly his goal seemed just a little bit closer to realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what sparked my whole Immortal Tony idea. This little bit right here. Now, I fixed it up and posted it, thanks to my darling who helps nudge me with this, and my beautiful love, who is an amazing cheerleader.
> 
> The next story in the series is what happened to Tony when he was spit back in time. I plan on writing a few books of Tony's 'Chronicles' to show his life in the past, how he made his way back, how he is what he is. It delves into the Highlander world and Immortals, and what it means.
> 
> There are some dark moments in there, some things that might hurt to read, and I'll tag the best I can. I hope some of you read it. If not, well, that's okay. :) I understand. I just hope you enjoyed this! Once I get through writing Tony's Chronicles, I'll write another story that tells the future beyond this point here - how they deal with Thanos and all of that.
> 
> Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Comments are love, people :D


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